Carshalton 0 Margate 1

ADRIAN Clarke's first half goal earned Margate their first Nationwide South win of the season at Carshalton on Monday night.

Gravesend & Northfleet manager Andy Ford was among the crowd at Colston Avenue to see Clarke net the eventual winner on the half hour.

Rocky Baptiste saw his shot blocked by former Welling and Ashford midfielder Sam Saunders, and the ball fell to Clarke who scored with a 25 yard right footed effort.

Baptiste and Che Stadhart had plenty of opportunities to open their account for the season, but were guilty of some wayward finishing.

Margate totally dominated the first half on a flat, grassy surface, and might have been three up by half time. Canadian Peter Benevides, making his debut, had what seemed a perfectly good goal ruled out, as he ran on to John Keister's through ball, only for the referee to adjudge Baptiste was offside.

Billy Edwards, Margate's best player on the night, headed off the line, then at the other end Stadhart fired wide from 25 yards. Benevides put Oates clear, but-one-on-one against Carshalton 'keeper Stuart Searle, saw him concede a corner. Clarke took it but Aaron Barnett put a free header over the bar.

Margate were forced to defend in depth in the second half, as Carshalton pressed forward but Chris Kinnear's side were almost gifted a second by a poor back pass from home player Mark Costello.

Searle stopped it from going in, but his clearance fell to Stadhart, only for his effort to fall just the wrong side of a post.

Former Gillingham trainee Mark Green also headed off the line when Carshalton's Nick McDonnell headed goalwards, after getting the better of Darren Annon.

Late on Carshalton began to leave gaps at the back and Stadhart and Clarke both had efforts blocked.

Green was booked, and then ex-Ashford striker Adrian Stone went close, but Margate held on.

MARGATE: Ward, Edwards, Barnett, Annon, Oates, Keister (sub Gradley 77), Benevides (sub Charalambous 80), Stadhart, Baptiste, Clarke